Pipe-stem cleaner



(No Model.)

I'. A. FRICK. PIPE STEM CLEANER.

No. 566,570., PatentedAug. 25, 1896.

UNITED Srn'rss FREDERICK A. FRIOK, OF ROCHESTER, NEIV YORK.

PIPE-STEM CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,570, dated August 25, 1896. Application led December 21, 1894. Serial No. 532,567. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it row/y concern,.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. Falck, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Stem Cleaners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference -letters marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide a device especially adapted for cleaning the stems of tobacco-pipes, cigar-holders, etc., and removing the nicotine and moisture therefrom, which shall be simple and sui-liciently cheap in construction so that it may be thrown away after having been used; and it consists in a certain improved construction, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and the novel features pointed out in the claim at the end of this specification.

In the drawings, Figures l and 2 are side views of barbed Wires forming the base of my cleaner, and Fig. 3 a side view of a complete cleaner constructed in accordance With my invention; Fig. 4, a vieur ot a complete cleaner.

Similar reference-letters indicate similar parts in the several figures.

In carrying out my invention I provide a fine metal Wire A and somewhat stiff, though iieXible enough to pass through the curves, it any, in an ordinary pipe-stem, and form upon said Wire a series of spurs, burs, or sharp projections B, preferably by cutting or striking up the metal, as shown, and I then Wind around the portion of the Wire having these burs a quantity of absorbent fibrous material C, such as absorbent cotton, which will be iirmly held by the barbs and prevented from longitudinal movement on the Wire when it is pushed and drawn through the pipe-stem to clean the latter. In practice I prefer to employ absorbent cotton as the covering material C for the cleaner, as it is firmly held by the barbs, is not liable to come oft the Wire when the cleaner is being used, and also readily absorbs the moisture, but tissue paper could be employed for the purpose, if desired, although not quite as good. It will be un derstood that the wire A is quite small, and that the cleaners are to be placed on the market at a nominal price, both ends of the Wire being barbed and having the absorbent cotton thereon, as in Fig. 4, so that after using both ends the cleaner may be thrown away. It is essential that the barbs on the Wire be quite sharp and extend out from the surface some distance, as shown, so that they Will engage the fibrous covering and firmly hold it in position on the Wire to prevent its displacement or rotary movement on the Wire and obtain a suiicient hold on a comparatively large body to prevent the ends of the barbs from cutting or injuring the interior of the pipe-stem or catching in the joints. It is preferable that the barbs B extend in opposite directions, as shown in Eig. 1, because in use the cleaner is pushed and drawn through the stem, and if the barbs Were pointed only one Way the cotton would be liable to Work off the end or be pushed up on the smooth portion.

In the form shown in Eig. 2, which I regard as Within my invention, the barbs are cut from one end only, but the extreme, ends are turned backward and would prevent the longitudinal displacement of the cotton; but this form Would be more difiicult to make properly and is not as advantageous as the form shown in Fig. l, which latter I much prefer.

I am aware that broaches or reamers for dentists use have been constructed of Wire `With barbs extending in one direction only,

and that it has been proposed to make felting-needles with short barbs projecting in opposite directions, the points being substantially parallel With the surface; but neither of these device could be employed as a pipecleaner base, because the barbs on the breaches would not prevent cotton, if applied thereto, from sliding longitudinally, and the barbs on the felting-needle would, in order that the needle be capable of use for the purpose intended, have to be too short to hold absorbent material, as cotton, to enable it to be used as a swab.

I am also aware that gun-swabs have been made with circumferential corrugations for holding cloth in position thereon; but this IOO barbed portion, the barbs thereon projecting p outwardly beyond the surface of the Wire ro and pointing toward opposite ends thereof,

and brous absorbent material around said barbed portion covering the barbs and prevented by them from rotary movement or longitudinal movement in either direction on the Wire, substantially as described and for 4 the purpose specified.

FREDERICK A. FRICK. Vitnesses:

FREDERICK F. CHURCH, GRACE A. RODA. 

